Bone cutting and breaking apparatus, and miniaturized cutting head

Abstract

The present invention includes an apparatus and method for cutting a bone including a cutting assembly having a cutting blade, a cutting guide for guiding the shape of the cut in the bone, and a power source for powering the cutting blade. The cutting blade is moveable radially to vary the depth of the cut in the bone, and the cutting blade is capable of cutting around the circumference of the bone as well as in a longitudinal direction along the bone. A powered bone breaking device for completing the breaking of the weakened bone is also disclosed. A miniaturized version of the bone cutting apparatus can be used to cut out sections of a femur head from inside a femur body.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A bone cutting apparatus, comprising: 
       a power source;  
       an articulating cutting assembly connected to said power source and including a cutting blade, said cutting blade moveable between a stored position and a cutting position;  
       a cutting guide for guiding said cutting blade during bone cutting; and  
       means for locking said bone cutting apparatus to a bone being cut, wherein at least a portion of said bone cutting apparatus including said cutting assembly is shaped to fit within a cylindrical cavity of a bone.  
     
     
       2. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , further including means for continuously washing the bone as it is being cut. 
     
     
       3. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  2 , wherein the means for continuously washing includes a pump and tubing for providing a physiologic saline solution to a surgical site. 
     
     
       4. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the power source is an air turbine. 
     
     
       5. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting blade is capable of cutting in a radial direction around a circumference of the bone. 
     
     
       6. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting blade is capable of cutting in a longitudinal direction along a long axis of the bone. 
     
     
       7. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting blade is capable of cutting in a radial direction around a circumference of the bone and in a longitudinal direction along a long axis of the bone. 
     
     
       8. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting guide includes a cylinder having a groove in the shape of the cut to be made in the bone. 
     
     
       9. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting guide includes a cylinder having a groove in the shape of the cut to be made in the bone, and wherein the groove is shaped as a “Z.” 
     
     
       10. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  9 , wherein the cutting guide includes two semi-circular groove portions and two longitudinal groove portions. 
     
     
       11. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  10 , wherein the two semi-circular groove portions are longitudinally spaced away from and connected to each other by the two longitudinal groove portions to form a continuous groove. 
     
     
       12. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  11 , wherein the two semi-circular portions are diametrically opposed from one another. 
     
     
       13. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting guide includes a cylinder having a groove therein, and a pin for following the groove to guide the cutting blade. 
     
     
       14. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting assembly and the cutting blade are movable to vary a depth of a cut in the bone. 
     
     
       15. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein a position of the cutting blade is radially adjustable to allow variation in a depth of a cut in the bone in a radial direction. 
     
     
       16. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting assembly is articulatable to make a cut in a bone in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       17. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting assembly is articulatable to make a cut around a circumference of the bone. 
     
     
       18. The bone cutting apparatus of claim  1 , wherein the cutting assembly is articulatable to allow variation in depth of a cut in the bone in a radial direction, and to allow cutting of the bone in both a longitudinal direction and around a circumference of the bone. 
     
     
       19. A method of cutting a bone using a bone cutting apparatus, comprising: 
       determining a first cutting depth based on variations in radial bone thickness of the bone;  
       inserting a bone cutting apparatus having a cutting blade into a hollow space within the bone;  
       moving the cutting blade radially to set it to the first cutting depth;  
       cutting the bone at the first cutting depth;  
       determining a second cutting depth based on variations in the radial bone thickness;  
       adjusting the cutting blade radially to set it to the second cutting depth; and  
       cutting the bone at the second cutting depth.  
     
     
       20. The method of claim  19 , wherein determining a first cutting depth includes examining at least one radiograph of the bone to be cut. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim  19 , wherein determining a second cutting depth includes examining at least one radiograph of the bone to be cut. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim  19 , wherein the first and second cutting depths are the same. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim  19 , wherein the first and second cutting depths are different. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim  19 , further including guiding the cutting blade as it cuts the bone at the first depth. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim  19 , further including guiding the cutting blade during each cutting step. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim  25 , wherein the guiding step includes providing a cutting guide having a groove in the shape of the cut to be made. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim  26 , further including following the shape of the groove with the cutting blade. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim  19 , further including using a cutting guide to guide the cutting blade to create a cut in the bone in a desired shape. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim  28 , wherein the cutting guide guides the cutting blade to cut a “Z” shape into the bone. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim  28 , further including guiding the cutting blade to create a circumferential cut in the bone. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim  28 , further including guiding the cutting blade to create a longitudinal cut in the bone.